TAXES AND SCHOOLS

Real Estate Tax Reform is well overdue, as is School Reform. I have a proposal that will correct both of these, but first some comments.

Families work for years, just to buy a Home. Then when we are taxed to Death for 3, 4, 5 thousand Dollars per year or more, for the benefit of owning our own Homes. Single Family Homes do not produce one Dollar of Income. That money comes straight out of our pocket, year after year, with "increases". We page for Government Agencies and Schools that have bloated Payrolls, Benefits, and Pensions.

Kids graduate from Schools and can't read, write, spell or speak properly. They move on to Dead End jobs, or no jobs. They determine the Future of our Nation. Kids in wealthy Neighborhoods don't. And "we" seem to tolerate all this. Read these proposals, and Badger your Elected Officials for change. Don't we elect them to do what is best for us? The Time is now. Don't settle for less. Don't settle for ‘Excuses".

THE NAPIER SOLUTION

PROPERTY TAX BILL REFORM

The School Taxes must be removed from Residential Property Bills, or at the very least, Single Family dwelling units, Houses and Condos. This is about 50% of the Tax Bill. A person with a Home and NO children pays the same Tax as a Person with a similar Home, and 3 Children. School Funding is described below, in School Reform.

The State law must be changed. It should read, all Residential Properties in a County shall be assessed at 10% of Market Value, no more, no less. (Or at least Single Family Dwellings). The total Tax Rate of the Bill shall be no more that 10% of the assessment, before Exemptions for Home Owners and Senior Citizens. (Disabled Veterans at some level should be included in an Exemption). For example, a $300,000 Home would be assessed at $30,000 and taxed no more that $3,000 before Exemptions. We don't need all the confusing Formulas, equalizers, and multipliers. To prevent "Tax Creep", all Agencies on the Tax Bill shall be entitled to increase their individual Tax Rate "only" by the Cost of Living Index, or 5%. Whichever is "Less". Many of us don't get raises every year. Government Agencies need to learn how to function on a Budget, like the rest of us. When times are bad, they should do the same ‘Cost Cutting" as the rest of us have to do. At the same time, they can also mandate that Assessors "must" recognize Foreclosure Prices in a Depressed Market, and adjust Market Values and Assessments accordingly.

SCHOOL REFORM

When School Funding has been removed form the Real Estate Tax Bill, the Funding should be spread out, and collected from Sales Tax, Income Tax, all Lotteries, Commercial and Industrial Properties, and a Head Tax at the School.

When School Funds are collected, they should be dispersed equally, to all Schools and Districts, based on Student Population. Why should a Child's Education and the condition of his/her School be dependent upon the Value of Homes in his/her Neighborhood? When was this designed? Is it designed to keep one segment of our Society down? Is it so we have a permanent, lower Class of Service Workers? Taxpayers cannot continue to support these people with low Income Benefits. If a School District wants ‘more' than an equal share, then the Property Owners in the District, NOT the School District or Board, can call for a Referendum with 51% of the total Voters signing a Petition for Referendum. When voting, a Referendum shall be considered as approved, with 65% of those voting in favor. At that time, then that School District can be put onto the Real Estate Tax Bill, for a specific number of years, as mentioned in the petition.


Teachers also need a few things. A Teacher that will work in a High Crime Area, or Gang Area, as designated by the Police Department, should receive an additional monthly Stipend. Just like Military people working in a Combat Zone, get additional Hazardous Duty Pay. Teachers should also receive Bonuses, like Private Industry, based on Productivity. That Productivity should be measured by Students Performance, with Independent outside Testing. A Bonus level can be established, based on percentages of Grades A, B, C, D. On achieving the Bonus Level, a Teacher should be rewarded with a one time Bonus, as a percentage of his/her salary. This can be done on an Annual basis. Graduating Kids should be able to read well, spell well, and speak properly, in order to get a decent job. Since Industry benefits from a good Work Force, perhaps Industry Leaders should be involved in School Reform. Perhaps a Commission of Industry leaders reporting their findings and recommending solutions would be good.

There are other Social Reforms that are needed to be implemented to improve our Schools and Student progress. Many are too complicated to be resolved here. However, some things can be done by Neighbors and Parents. Join the rest of Society and don't tolerate Gangs, Vandalism, Theft, etc., do what you are able, cooperate with the Police and report problems.


We have to compete with other Countries that are passing us by. Whatever is done for the School System, Aim High, don't settle for Mediocrity.